Accommodation near the beach in Koh Samui

Hi,

Right now, Samui is FULL.

I still recommend BAAN TAI beach. You’ll find places to stay with your feet in the water. There’s a nice beachfront restaurant with lots of people in that area, but just 100 meters before or after, it’s much quieter. The water’s crystal clear and the sand is white.

Just a heads-up: you’ll need transportation for the evenings—either a car or a scooter (be *very* careful). Wear a helmet, even if people stare at you like you’re aliens. The nearest 7/11 is 700 meters away, and Mae Nam is about 4-5 km if you’re looking for restaurants and live music bars.

Hi, At this time of year, Samui is FULL. I’d still recommend BAAN TAI beach. You’ll find places to stay right by the water...

Hello,

I second Baan Tai. It’s a great spot in Samui (we lived there for three years).

Here’s a photo of the beach on a glassy day with an offshore breeze to make you want to go!

Hi, the photo really makes you want to go there. Thanks!

Anyway, make sure to book well in advance. Check out Ko Phangan—it’s not as ultra-touristy.

During this period, Samui is FULL.

I still recommend Baan Tai beach though.

I'm curious... First, if it's FULL, why wouldn't Baan Tai be too? Baan Tai is the small beach in the north of the island, just before Mae Nam, right?

I first visited Samui back in 1974—no permanent (concrete) buildings at all, except in the village/port. Just a few rare palm-thatched "bungalows" on Lamai and Chaweng, one of which was called "First Bungalows." I went back in '87 or '88 after the airport was built, and everything had changed—concrete everywhere! So what's it like now?[:(]

Hi there

I’m having a bit of trouble understanding your question... You go on Booking.com and see a map of the island with all the accommodations listed there. There are dozens, if not hundreds, right by the sea. Baan Tai seems like a good option—I see 3 or 4 "hotels" or guesthouses right on the beach there, including Mali House... I’d avoid Chaweng and Lamai Beach, in my opinion—they’re the most crowded, but if they’re so busy, it’s because they’re (or at least used to be) the island’s most beautiful beaches!

... Baan Tai is the small beach in the north of the island just before Po Phut, right? ...

Between Bang Por and Maenam.

Here we go, in pictures and words:

"At Keaw’s grocery store, I meet my neighbors in the evening over a beer. Olaf, Sven, Colonel Kurt. Sometimes Skippy, a German guy who lives in the big house.

In the late afternoon, we head to the end of the path, by the sea. Paï thale.

We watch the horizon, the island across from us, and the kids playing in the gentle waves of the reef.

The rain started two weeks ago. The croaking of the frogs makes conversations tough.

I wade through the water with a headlamp to get back to the grocery store."

The full little story is here:

https://www.banatie.com/page/thailand-surat-thani-koh-samui-l-archipel

Perfect, I have a blog to read—and it’s a really interesting one at that. Thanks!

Hi! Of course I’ve checked Booking.com and others, but my question was: where’s the best spot for what I’m looking for. I found a place in BOPHUT that might fit my needs, but I read a comment—somewhere—that the beach there is “muddy.” Is that true?

Yes, Bo Phut Beach should match what you're looking for. You won’t be isolated—there’s a village right nearby. When Samui started attracting more visitors, this beach was the most peaceful on the island, but I don’t know how it’s changed since then. Those who’ve been there recently can give you more details. From this spot, you can also easily walk to a large Buddha statue by the sea (best done in the morning).

Thanks

At the start of 2024, I wanted to try something new, so instead of Maenam, I chose Bophut for 3 months, from mid-January to mid-April. Not in a hotel, but in a studio rented monthly, right on the beach. We were at the very beginning of Fisherman Village (coming from the airport). The beach isn’t great: very muddy seabed, quite a few rocks. But the worst part is the daily pollution, especially in the morning. Some days, we couldn’t even swim, yet strangely, it didn’t bother everyone—some people didn’t hesitate to dip into that "broth"... Apparently, the sea looks cleaner on the part of the beach starting toward the end of Fisherman Village. As for Fisherman Village itself, you either love it or you don’t—I’m definitely in the latter camp. So, since we’d rented a car, every evening we’d drive to Maenam to eat, where we have our favorite spots and restaurants. This year, we’re heading back to Maenam—we actually arrive the day after tomorrow.

Hello, Thanks for your feedback. It seems our rental is more to the west than where you were. The accommodation looks okay, but since I booked through Booking.com, I have free cancellation until the end of 2025. We’re renting a car, and I think from Bophut to Maenam isn’t far, so if the beach isn’t clean, we can move to Maenam. I couldn’t find any affordable rentals in that area. There are two of us, and we have an entire place with one bedroom in a small residence with a shared pool for the 8 villas, about 500m from the sea (800 € plus electricity). If you have any names or addresses of small, everyday restaurants (or almost), we’d love to hear them. And if by any chance you have rental addresses in Maenam that match what we’re looking for, I’d take those too. Another small request: which airline and flight did you take? We flew to Phuket with Emirates from Lyon, and it was great. I saw you’re from Draguignan—we have a place in Fréjus. Looking forward to hearing from you, and I wish you a great day and a safe trip. Florence

Why Baan Tai??? Simply because most tourists flock to Chaweng, Chaweng Noi, and Lamai and Crystal Bay. Whether before or after the new beachfront restaurant, you’ll find tranquility on the sand; It’s well located, between Nathon and Mae Nam, just 4 km from the entrance to MN. There are plenty of quiet spots on the island with turquoise water and white sand—no tourists in sight. You just need to have your own wheels!

Hi, It’s tough to recommend accommodation since everyone’s expectations and criteria are so different... We’ve been in Maenam for a week now, and we’re not completely happy with our place, even though we spent weeks researching before choosing it... Maenam has really changed in the past year... lots of new businesses (even a food center), but prices are skyrocketing...! - A grilled corn on the beach went from 50 baht to 80 baht (+58%) - At our favorite "canteen," dishes that were 70 baht are now 100 baht (+43%) Luckily, not everything is getting more expensive, and in the end, we’re not complaining... the cost of living is still pretty low if you stay reasonable.

We’re not having much luck—our area is suffering from a proliferation of certain plankton, so the water near the shore is green all morning and into the early afternoon! Apparently, this happens when freshwater flows into the sea, and sure enough, our hotel is right near the mouth of the Maenam River... Last year in Bophut, our place was near the mouth of a small stream, and it was polluted almost constantly... some kind of whitish foam.

Some people rave about Ban Tai beach, but we’ve never liked it—there’s not enough depth (you have to go really far out to get waist-deep water), and there are quite a few rocks. Despite all these annoyances, we can’t even imagine going anywhere else, especially not Chaweng or Lamai...

But for us, the worst kind of pollution is the proliferation of a certain population with unimaginable (and unbearable) behavior... I’m talking about the Russians...! This year, it’s way beyond the "submersion" our prime minister mentioned... We lived here for 10 years, near Ban Tai, from 2005 to 2015, and one of the few reasons we went back to France was this Russian invasion. Even back then!

Anyway, it’s not all bad... that’s why we come back every year to spend winter in the warmth! We can’t do without Thai food, massages, the climate, etc...

To answer another of your questions, after flying Emirates for years, we now take Qatar, always departing from Nice.

I can confirm what you're saying about the price increases. I have friends who are in Mae Nam too, and they’ve noticed the same thing as you. Samui is really popular—just look at how every year, the coconut trees are being replaced by concrete and cinder blocks.

It was me who recommended Baan Tai beach. Sure enough, if you stay at the start, the water is shallow and there are a lot of rocks on the bottom… head toward the beach retreat, and you’ll see it gets deeper more quickly

We love little restaurants that often don’t look like much but are good and clean. Can you recommend a few spots in Bophut, Maenam, or Lamai? Places that could become our go-to spots. Thanks

Hi, So what did you guys end up choosing? I’m interested in getting the great tips for Thailand!

Hi, I don’t know any small restaurants in Lamai—we rarely go there. In Bophut, our favorites have closed, and the others we tried didn’t convince us or make us want to go back, except maybe Pichet on the main road. At Fisherman Village, there are only tourist traps and overpriced restaurants—it’s just for a stroll! In Maenam, since two of our favorite spots closed, we now often go to the same places in soi 4, especially the excellent Mayom. There’s also Lilikoi, but if you want slightly spicy dishes, they struggle to understand... At the end of the street, near the "pseudo lighthouse," there’s Seaview. If after a few weeks you crave European food, you should check out the BBQ buffet at Austrian Corner on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at the corner of soi 4 and the main road. Just across the street, on the other side of the main road, there’s a brand-new food center—it’s pretty good and really handy when everywhere else is packed. As for our "go-to spot," which we’ve been going to regularly for 18 years, it’s Kai on the main road, at the corner with soi 5. They recently raised their prices (by +30 to +50%), but it’s still quite affordable overall.

Hi, thanks for this info—I’ll keep it for my trip.

Hi Albru, It's tough to find recent posts about Thailand—yours is one of the most up-to-date!

I saw that you're a regular in Koh Samui. Could you share some tips for our stay on the island? We initially planned to spend 7 nights in Chaweng (after 4 nights in BKK). Based on reviews, it seems a shame not to visit Koh Phangan, the island across the way? We're a group of 4, with two grown sons, 35 and 29.

In your opinion, would staying in Chaweng be convenient for exploring Koh Samui’s vibe, especially on foot for the guys (I’m thinking about nightlife)?

I’m hesitating between staying in Maenam (which hotel?) or Boh Put for the practical side if we want to spend 2 or 3 nights in Koh Phangan. Is it doable? Is it worth it? How do we get there? Should we leave our luggage at the hotel and just take the essentials?

Do you know Ang Thong National Park? How do we visit, and how much time does it take?

Our domestic flight back to BKK is from Koh Samui. Thanks in advance for your reply!

Lucie

Hi Lucie, It's hard to give you an effective answer... everyone's tastes and expectations are so different! Yes, I know Samui a little since I spent several years there, but honestly, I don’t think it’s evolving in the right direction anymore—we wouldn’t want to live there again. That said, we still spend our 4 winter months in Thailand (and neighboring countries), and year after year, our stay in Samui gets shorter—barely 2 months this year! And probably even less next winter. But of course, we still enjoy it—it’s not all bad... Our favorite spot has always been Maenam, so it’s hard to give an objective opinion on the other parts of the island. Staying in Chaweng for "the nightlife"? Sure, but if you want to "discover the real life of Koh Samui," you’ll need to escape it... Bophut: One of the main attractions is Fisherman’s Village—just going there for 1 or 2 evenings is enough. We don’t like this place anymore. It seemed charming and original at first, but it no longer reflects the authenticity of Samui. And it’s getting worse—it reminds us of the worst spots in Phuket... Maenam: As I mentioned, it’s our favorite area, but some might find it too small compared to Chaweng or Lamai—you could get bored after a while. But that’s where our favorite beaches, little restaurants, and all our routines are... Last winter, we stayed at Baan Fah Resort—we really loved it, right on the beach. Maenam is also the perfect spot to take the boat (Lomprayah) to Koh Phangan. We’ve only been there twice, but it’s great to go for 1 or 2 nights with minimal luggage and explore by moped. As for Ang Thong Marine Park, we’ve never visited... but all our friends say it’s a beautiful excursion—leave early in the morning and return in the late afternoon. Just make sure to pick the right boat company and have good weather. That’s another factor—you shouldn’t go to Samui at just any time. Some periods aren’t ideal. Happy trip planning!

Thanks Alain for the valuable info—it really helps us get a sense of the Koh Samui area. We’re thinking of spending 2 or 3 nights in Koh Tao (on our way down from BKK) instead of Koh Phangan (which we’d originally planned)—what do you think?

Then, on the way back, we’d stay 4 or 5 nights in Koh Samui (Chaweng, the northeast, or Maenam?). I’m guessing you can eat outdoors and there’s nightlife everywhere?

Or should we do the reverse because of our luggage?

Funny—I’m in Fréjus right now, not far from you! 😊 The weather’s lovely in June in the south—fewer crowds and perfect weather… and we’re planning Thailand from November 1st to 15th, hoping for not too much rain. Lucie 😊